TLP STYLE GUIDE
The best thing for you to wear for pictures is confidence! As cheesy as that sounds it is true, if you are confident in how you look it will show through in the pictures! So my first recommendation is that Mom, you choose your outfit, choose what you feel good in, then base the rest of the family off of that! Or if there's a family member that may need the extra boost of confidence, start with their outfit and base the family's outfits around that.
Coordinate, don't match! Have a color scheme but avoid matchy matchy.
Textures and accessories are great! Throw on that fur vest, leather watch, sequin skirt or lace, give me all the lace! Avoid accessories that can be trouble makers- meaning they take more attention to perfect then the children (like a big bow headband that keeps slipping over the eyes or a watch that keeps slipping and facing the wrong way). Accessories that hold special meaning are always encouraged as they bring up smiles or memories as you see them in your images for years to come.
Dress for the occasion. Not only for the weather, because wearing a sundress in 30 degrees is miserable, as is a 3 piece suit in 100 degrees, but also dress for the photograph occasion. If you're taking engagements wear what you would to a wedding reception. If it's a lifestyle session, neutral cozy clothing helps to tell the story. If it's a family session you can go casual or fancy! That being said I will always encourage people to dress up. Women photograph great in dresses, men look amazing in suits, they are designed to flatter the natural shape of the body.
Choose a complementary or contrasting color to the location. If you're having a hard time choosing a color scheme, pull from your home decor where you will hang the picture and match the look. There are certain color palettes that look best on individuals based off of their undertones, if you know yours- stick to it! If you don't, you can take a look at your closet- what shirts/dresses/outfits are you always pulled to. What ones do you always feel great wearing, are they of a similar color? If so stick with that! There are services that provide your color analysis (what colors look best on you) based off your skin tone, eye color and hair color if you're interested in you could look into those.
Patterns are not to be feared but words should be! Patterns help add dimension and personality to the photograph. When pairing patterns you want to pair a large pattern with a small pattern. When it comes to stripes, thicker stripes photograph better, small stripes can photograph funky when viewing images digitally. Avoid words on clothing, it can be distracting and oftentimes not all of the wording will be shown.
Wear something comfortable- wait hold on, I'm not talking about sweatpants and a t-shirt comfortable, I'm talking about comfortable to move around in. You don't want to be constantly tugging on a hemline, tucking an undergarment, or fidgeting with straps. I love to capture interaction and connection between families, to do this I might have you do things such as bend down to your child's level, twirl around, or pick up a child. These are easier done when you aren't worried about your outfit and are comfortable moving around in it.
Trust your eye! You know what looks well together more than you probably give yourself credit for. You know what your family will wear and what they will grimace about wearing. And.. bribe if necessary! :)
If you want a second set of eyes feel free to send me pictures of your outfit choices for recommendations.
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